The Charlotte Hornets organization was apparently visited by three ghosts last night.
A day after receiving criticism for a skit in which a child was “given” a PlayStation 5 and then had it taken away, the Hornets apologized and announced in a statement that they were making things right. The child will receive the PS5, as well as a VIP experience at a future game.
The Hornets’ full statement:
During last night’s game there was an on-field skit that missed the point. The skit involved poor decision making and poor communication. Simply put, we turned the ball over and apologized. We have reached out to the family and are determined to not only make things right, but to exceed expectations. We will provide the fan with the PS5 he should have taken home last night, along with a VIP experience for a future game. Our goal is and will continue to be to enhance the guest experience for everyone who enters Spectrum Center, and to show our fans how much we appreciate their continued support.
The skit that “missed the mark” took place during a stoppage in play during the second quarter of Charlotte’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. The child was brought onto the field with Hugo, the Hornets’ mascot, dressed as Santa Claus. After a letter to Santa asking for a PS5 was read aloud, a cheerleader came out with a bag containing the video game console.
The young fan was visibly overjoyed when he received the expensive gift. However, according to an online acquaintance, he was less happy when the cameras went off and a Hornets employee took it away and replaced it with a jersey.
Would you like to see a cheap sports organization?
In this video, my best friend and his nephew are called into court for a special segment where they publicly gift the kid a PS5… with cameras off, TOOK IT AWAY and gave him a sweater.
😂 Take a bow @hornets… crushed the child pic.twitter.com/mcj5hhsuM5
— USMNT_STAN (@StanUsmnt) December 17, 2024
The cheerleader and other people in the area were also reportedly confused when the PS5 was confiscated. The child’s uncle was apparently told he could not keep the gift, but not the child himself.
Even in the most charitable lenses, an NBA organization doing a skit pretending to be generous to children is a bizarre sight. The team was sold last year for about $3 billion, and all the internal entertainment department had to do was pretend it had $450-$500 left (less if they got a Black Friday deal).
This was all very avoidable, but at least the kid gets what he wanted. Meanwhile, the Hornets lost 121-108 to the shorthanded Sixers. Their record stands at 7-19.
